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The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1957 film)
| language = English | budget = | preceded_by = | followed_by = }} The Barretts of Wimpole Street is a 1957 film originating from the United Kingdom, and was a re-make of the earlier 1934 version by the same director, Sidney Franklin.Film synopsis and details: New York Times website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. Both films are based on the play The Barretts of Wimpole Street by Rudolf Besier. The screenplay for the 1957 film is credited to John Dighton, although Franklin used exactly the same script for the second movie as he did for the first.Same script: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. The film, set in the early 19th century, stars Jennifer Jones, John Gielgud, and Bill Travers. Plot Elizabeth Barrett (Jennifer Jones) is the disabled grown-up daughter of Edward Moulton-Barrett (John Gielgud) of Wimpole Street, and has an intense interest in poetry. However, she lives under the obsessive rule of her father, and this severely limits her ability to develop her love of rhyme amongst her peers. Edward in fact shows clear incestuous tendencies towards her, and discourages close contact with any males. When the poet Robert Browning (Bill Travers) enters her life, though, matters are brought to a head, through the intervention of Browning. Edward finds that his control over Elizabeth, and her younger sister Henrietta (Virginia McKenna), is far from complete. Cast *John Gielgud as Edward Moulton-Barrett *Jennifer Jones as Elizabeth Barrett *Bill Travers as Robert Browning *Virginia McKenna as Henrietta Barrett *Vernon Gray as Captain Surtees Cook *Susan Stephen as Bella *Jean Anderson as Wilson *Maxine Audley as Arabel *Leslie Phillips as Harry Bevan *Laurence Naismith as Dr. Chambers *Moultrie Kelsall as Dr. Ford-Waterlow *Michael Brill as George *Kenneth Fortescue as Octavius *Nicholas Hawtrey as Henry *Richard Thorp as Alfred *Keith Baxter as Charles *Brian Smith as Septimus Production notes To lend the whole project an air of authenticity, producer Sam Zimbalist moved filming from the 1934 location in the USA to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studiosMGM studios, Borehamwood, circa 1938: Francis Frith website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, using only "fine English actors" with the exception of American actress Jennifer Jones, and as many correct locations as possible, including St Marylebone Parish Church in London.Marylebone Church, London, used as film location: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. Bill Travers (Browning) and Virginia McKenna (Henrietta), though cast to play future in-laws in the film, were actually husband and wife in real life.Production details: from an article at the TCM website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. The film was made in Metrocolor, using CinemaScope, with an aspect ratio of 2.35 : 1 on 35mm film.Technical specifications: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. The 4-track stereo sound was supplied by Westrex.Other technical info: IMDB.com website. Retrieved on January 15, 2008. Relationship to the Real Story of the Brownings' Courtship Although most of the names of the individuals involved are correct in the play and films, by definition motivations of individuals cannot be known. The numerous love letters that Robert and Elizabeth exchanged before their marriage, however, can give readers a great deal of information about this famous courtship in their own words. The correspondence was well underway before they ever met in person, he having admired the collection Poems that she published in 1844. He opens his first letter to her, 'I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,' and a little later in that first letter he says 'I do, as I say, love these books with all my heart--and I love you too' (January 10, 1845).Kelley, Philip, et al., eds., The Brownings' Correspondence. Wedgestone Press, 1992. Vol. 10, pg. 17 Several editions of these letters have been published, starting with one by their son in 1898. Flush by Virginia Woolf, a version of the courtship from the perspective of Elizabeth's dog, is also an imaginative reconstruction, though more closely based on reading the letters. Both the play and film reflect popular concerns at the time, particularly Freudian analysis. Although Edward Barrett's behaviour in disinheriting the children who married seems bizarre, there is no evidence of his being sexually aggressive toward any family members.The Courtship of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, Daniel Karlin. Oxford University Press, 1987. Pgs. 1 and 3. References External links * Category:1957 films Category:Films set in the 19th century Category:1950s drama films Category:Films directed by Sidney Franklin Category:British drama films Category:English-language films Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Category:Films shot in CinemaScope Category:British films Category:Films shot in the United Kingdom